InterMat Staff

The new rules that came out of the FILA extraordinary congress were a real step in the right direction. Two-point takedowns completely change the dynamic of the sport for the better. Wrestling needs to reward the offensive, chance should favor the bold, and the new rules do just that. The new international wrestling rules were used during Sunday's United 4 Wrestling event in Los Angeles (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)On Wednesday I sent a tweet to the FILA Twitter account imploring whomever manning that account to make that day the last time balls are ever pulled out of a bag to determine the outcome of a wrestling match. Wacky as it sounds, FILA complied with my request. I therefore take full credit for the rule change while gleefully celebrating to an end to one of the most embarrassing chapters in wrestling history. Before the last Olympics I wrote a series of articles previewing the wrestling portion of the Games. When I got to the point explaining the ball pull, I had to channel Dave Barry and preface with "I'm not making this up." I can still hardly believe that the procedure existed. It's almost as if FILA brought in a panel of bad comedy writers to brainstorm on the most madcap way to break a tie in a wrestling match. As mind-numbingly terrible a feature as the ball grab was, it may still not be as bad as the last iteration of the Greco-Roman rules where Olympic gold medals were awarded to the people who were really good at stalling and laying on their bellies. The ball grab turned freestyle into the butt of jokes, enforced par terre turned Greco into an abomination. Now, hopefully we can look forward to brighter days. The new rules possess greater fidelity to the spirit of the sport. They foster more action and should create a visually appealing product. The rules, however, do not make freestyle accessible to the casual fan, and they still demand high levels of knowledge from the highly involved. Jake Herbert fell in the Olympic Games quarterfinals to Sharif Sharifov of Azerbaijan (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Remember the Jake Herbert vs. Sharif Sharifov match from the quarterfinals of the London Olympics? Of course you do. You most certainly recall a sequence where Sharif was in on a double, Jake threw him back and rolled him through with a chest lock, and then Sharif scrambled out and ended up on top of Jake. Nobody knew how the hell to score it, and not just the people watching at home; the judges, ref, and even a FILA official all were at a loss. I've re watched the sequence a few times, and while I can understand a variety way to score it, I'm pretty darn certain the score that got thrown up was the wrong one. This speaks to freestyle's big problem: some situations are totally ambiguous, and in others the rules are terribly difficult to understand. I can foresee a moment in the future where I'm watching some freestyle wrestling with a buddy (just kidding, I can't foresee this, but bear with me) and several questions are raised. Buddy: Hey, why'd they score that 4-2 for the guy getting the takedown? Me: Well, the momentum of the takedown carried the opponent to his back, but then the guy shooting got rolled through and his back was exposed, and so it's two exposure points, plus two points for the takedown, and two exposure points for the other guy. Buddy: Hey! The same thing just happened but they scored it differently. Me: No. See, this time the defensive guy stopped the attacker's momentum before rolling him through, thus making it "his move." Buddy: What gives! That guy just tried a throw and got taken down but they scored no points. Me: No, that's called a slip throw. Buddy: Um … the same thing just happened but they ruled it a take down. Me: No … No … No. He secured the takedown before the other guy fully slipped to the mat. Buddy: All right, I know all the rules, I understand the criteria for exposure, and for takedowns, and for three-point moves, and five-point moves, but that guy right there almost hit a really awesome move that barely didn't work, but it didn't meet any criteria for any of those scores, but they gave him a point anyway. That was wrong, right? Me: No, it was right. It was an appreciation point. Buddy: A WHAT?!!! One of the big complaints about freestyle (and Greco) when it was recommended for exclusion from the Games was that it was a sport only for experts. For better or worse, this is still true, and it always will be. Olympic wrestling is filled with subtlety and nuance and the accompanying controversy, and while that might prevent access to the casual viewer, it is what simultaneously also makes it great. Finally I have some bad news. We are all basking in the glow of a great week for wrestling, albeit one that featured a thorough ass whipping at the hand of an Iranian team before their unscheduled departure, but what came from the FILA extraordinary congress should make us very concerned. It's hard to divine what goes on in the hearts and minds of the members of the IOC executive board, their inner workings are utterly opaque. However, lately I've begun to speculate on a big reason for their initial decision to propose the exclusion of wrestling from the Games. Disregarding the Greco/freestyle distinction and I have a feeling the IOC does, wrestling award 56 medals to men, and a mere 16 to women. Greco-Roman wrestling does not have a women's competition. There's even women's boxing now. I can't, off the top of my head, think of another men's Olympic sport without a female analogue. I understand why we give more medals to men than women at this point in the development in the sport of women's wrestling, but my opinion could not be any more irrelevant. Wrestling's gender inequality undoubtedly weighs heavily on the minds of the IOC board, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if this was the real culprit in wrestling exclusion in the first place. Because FILA's bureau and member delegations couldn't summon the courage to take the tragic but necessary steps in jettisoning Greco-Roman wrestling, this gender inequality may be the real culprit in Olympic wrestling's demise at the end of this month.

Jordan Burroughs improved to 54-0 in his international career (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) LOS ANGELES -- An incredible day for wrestling was capped by an amazing performance by arguably the best pound-for-pound wrestler on the planet. Olympic and World champion Jordan Burroughs put his immense talents of full display to put an exclamation point on the United 4 Wrestling event on Sunday afternoon before a boisterous crowd of 3,500 fans at the L.A. Sports Arena. Read the rest of the story ... Results Senior Level Freestyle: 66 kilos: Jordan Oliver (USA) dec. Magomed Kurbanliev (Russia), 7-6 60 kilos: Opan Sat (Russia) tech. fall John Pineda (Canada), 10-0 66 kilos: Haislan Garcia (Canada) dec. Soslan Ramonov (Russia), 6-3 84 kilos: Jon Reader (USA) tech. fall Tamerlin Tagziev (Canada), 12-2 55 kilos: Artas Sanaa (Russia) dec. Sam Hazewinkel (USA), 5-2 96 kilos: Chris Pendleton (USA) tech. fall Manjot Sandhu (Canada), 11-0 48 kilos: Jasmine Mian (Canada) dec. Victoria Anthony (USA), 4-2 51 kilos: Genevieve Haley (Canada) dec. Jessica Medina (USA), 11-5 63 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova (USA) dec. Danielle Lappage (Canada), 4-2 72 kilos: Brittney Roberts (USA) dec. Justina DiStasio (Canada), 7-2 60 kilos: Opan Sat (Russia) dec. Coleman Scott (USA), 6-2 66 kilos: Jordan Oliver (USA) dec. Haislan Garcia (Canada), 5-2 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs (USA) tech. fall Saba Khubetzhty (Russia), 14-3 Youth: 60 pounds: Patricia Arana pinned Viviana Garcia, 4:30 90 pounds: Cade Olivas pinned Randon Miranda, 2:30 126 pounds: Zander Wick dec. Jimmy Felix, 11-0 126 pounds: Jaden Abas dec. Daniel Long, 6-4 Replay Video Interviews

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. They're taking their ball and going home. The Iranian national team has backed out of their commitment to wrestle against Team USA in Los Angeles. Details are few, but the team has decided to forgo their next match and is heading directly back to Tehran. It's unclear the impact this will have on what was very positive media from Wednesday's Rumble on the Rails event in New York City. However, I expect that this will invalidate at least some of the goodwill messaging put forward by the national media. In the meantime we should all do our best to support the sport on the West Coast and attend the event. Wrestling needs to show it's resiliency. The Russians have agreed to wrestle, the Canadians are on board, and though nothing is confirmed there is rumor that a super match MIGHT be in the works. To your questions ... Q: Any "on the rise" smaller programs to look for in Division I next year? For example Bloomsburg having the strong dual season this year, and F&M with Richard Durso. My other question is what are the chances Louisville makes a program? -- Nathan M. Foley: Bloomsburg has to name a new head coach for me to back their season. I am confident they'll hire the right guy for the job, just no telling what the impact that hire would have on the current team. I'd look out for N.C. State. The Wolfpack's sophomore heavyweight and 2012 All-American Nick Gwiazdowski is coming off redshirt, and under Pat Popolizio they'll be sure to have one or two young wrestlers start transitioning to national success. Northwestern still has two-time All-American heavyweight Mike McMullan, and national finalist candidate Jason Tsirtsis, along with a half-dozen other All-American candidates. Those aren't really smaller programs, but they are the lesser-sized within their conference. I think F&M's Durso is a lock for All-American and that could bring up a few more guys. Brown has talented wrestlers and with a new coach might be in the position to make quick gains. Boston University will have a lot of emotional support and could see some gains. Louisville would be a stretch to start a program. They have plenty of extra cash in the coffers and their athletic director has mentioned funding a new program, but they're not from an area where wrestling is part of the conversation. Also, I haven't heard of any marketing campaigns, or personal appeals being directed at the athletic department to start a program. For Louisville to start a program they'd have to see the financial appeal. It's much more likely they start men's and women's lacrosse programs. Q: Just watched Rumble on the Rails on NBC Sports. Very well done event. Too bad I almost didn't know it was on TV! I was lucky I could set my DVR from work during lunch time. We have to be able to promote these events better! I would bet the viewership would have been great if it was prime time with some good promotional build-up. Also: no USA vs. Russia on TV!? Side note: Now that SU is moving over to the ACC .. .maybe they'll consider bringing their wrestling team back? -- CB, Syracuse Foley: They didn't show the USA v. Russia? Wow. I was at the event and didn't realize there wasn't continued coverage. The event was pretty well publicized, even if the word hadn't trickled down to everyone. I've never seen more media on-hand for a wrestling event in the United States, and as I wrote earlier, I think that the positive messaging coming from the event will make its way to the IOC Executive Board and the rest of the IOC voters. Syracuse could very well start a program, but AGAIN there needs to be a movement to have them change their mind. Why not start a women's program in addition to the men's? Sports are about publicity and if Syracuse came out with an announcement that they were reinstating wrestling during this time of international turmoil AND would become the first Division I team to offer scholarships to female wrestlers, they'd have more media than they could handle. It'd fundamentally change the way their sports program would be seen by outsiders. They'd be innovators. And remember, that the move would also be covered by ESPN, since fifty percent of the staff in Bristol graduated from Newhouse School of Journalism. Who is selling this idea to the school? Who should be? Let's find these people, put together a silent, or public campaign and get wrestling reinstated at the 'Cuse! Q: As a Lock Haven University alumni, I was rather disappointed to see Robbie Waller fired. Given the school's lessened commitment to wrestling, I'm not sure what administrators expected. He barely had one recruiting class get through and yet was beginning to make strides. My only thought is that someone showed great interest in the position that administrators felt was better move. My only thought is that unless it's Cary Kolat himself the program will probably not be better off with the next head coach. I hate to say that, but in my time at LHU the school's support of wrestling seemed very underdeveloped given it is the school's only Division 1 men's sport and, despite its small size, has a history of pumping out talented wrestlers. Who do you see as the next head coach at LHU and, given the school's very low interest in promoting the wrestling program, is there any way the next coach bring any more success that Waller? Or is he just being set up to be fired in four years? -- Ryan P. Foley: It's apparently a long story with twists, turns, hurt feelings and accusations of poor coaching, but Waller's dismissal wasn't surprising to at least some Lock Haven supporters. Waller seems like a nice guy and I don't know all the facts of his firing, just that sometimes change is needed by both parties. Lock Haven won't give up on wrestling, but they do need someone to come through who inspires them to give more attention and funding to the program. They need wins, and in four years Waller had more than other sports, but not enough to necessarily win over the administration. On a personal level, it's difficult for me to not advocate for Scott Moore. We wrestled together and I know that Scott would pour everything into making that program bigger and better. I also think that he'd prefer to bring along his brother Josh Moore from Kent State, a move that if financially feasible would all but guarantee the program massive success. The Moore Brothers are both from western Pennsylvania, have insane name identification and are well-respected, well-rehearsed coaches. They also bring outsized energy to a program that could use a shot of life. I'm very biased in this opinion, but I do think that they are the best, and maybe only coaches for the job. As for being fired in four years? Not these two. Q: The IOC has been clear that FILA was not doing its job as an international governing body. Wouldn't it be fair to say the leaders of USA Wrestling were also not doing their jobs? Also why is it only Martinetti has been forced out at FILA, shouldn't there be more changes than that? -- Zach A. Foley: The King is Dead! Long Live the King! Nobody knows what is going on inside these organizations. Like the IOC itself they are closed off, and when lit have traditionally shown massive organizational failures. USA Wrestling is far from perfect and their leadership shares blame for many of our domestic failures. Like with any organization there is some stagnation in roles, but with both FILA and USA Wrestling the people meant to keep checks on those in power, are, as one very skeptical individual recently described to me, "getting their bread buttered by the bosses." What would be the benefit of a dramatic change in leadership? I think it would make the new body much more beholden to their audience. Because any shakeup at USA Wrestling would cause media attention, the new individuals set in place would be held more accountable. The General installed by coup always has to be worried that the same might happen to him should he not represent the needs of the people. (I saw this first-hand in Chad.) The real question becomes what do we do if wrestling is dropped from the Olympic Games? It would seem apparent that everyone should be fired. Everyone. You cannot let the world's first sport lose representation in the Olympic Games. If you do, and then you run for office, or keep it, then you are essentially telling the world that you value your skill set above the needs of the sport. Imagine something similar happening inside the corporate structure?! The Founder and CEO of JetBlue got tossed by his board of directors after he let passengers get stranded on the runway for 10 hours. The man CREATED the company and yet was still accountable to his board. Why the hell should wrestling be any different? As for FILA you have to imagine that there just won't be any more FILA. The sport will no longer be under the umbrella of the Olympics, which means that competitive governing bodies could emerge. There is REAL potential in a partnerships between the United States, Japan and Abu Dhabi for a governing body that gives all grappling and wrestling sports an equal chance. Those talents and above-the-board operations could lead to a non-Olympic renaissance of all grappling sports. But first, let's try and keep our Olympic status. Q: Is there a magazine or website that has all the state champs from every state? -- Mike C. Foley: I think USA Wrestling Magazine prints a list, but I'm not certain. Readers? Q: Looks like Greco-Roman wasn't a big hit at the Rumble on the Rails. Should they have put their matches before freestyle? -- Mike R. Foley: No. Why would we want to further protect the sport from its failures? This is what is so infuriating about wrestling. The facts are simple, Greco-Roman doesn't intrigue and doesn't sell. Running them last only proved that point. Rumble on the Rails was a raucous affair for most of the five-hour program, but once the Greco-Roman wrestlers appeared on the mat fans, journalists, and even dignitaries FLED Vanderbilt Hall. Silence. Those who did remain began the process of networking and discussing which bars to attend post-match. There were no cheers, no oohs, and no noise, because for 25 minutes there were no takedowns, no action. Wrestling is in a period of self-analysis and adjustment, but it needs to see these next three months as a period of total and complete reconstruction. Greco-Roman is supported by the acting President of FILA and many of the Bureau members, so it is unlikely to be removed. However, the fact remains that it has always been the lesser of the two disciplines in terms of fan involvement and media excitement. But more importantly there are several statements that have been supporting Greco-Roman but are simply not true. Greco-Roman is NOT the traditional form of wrestling. The discipline was developed by a Frenchman in the late 19th century and was added to the Olympic Games because he very intelligently changed the name from "flat hands" wrestling to "Greco-Roman" in a marketing ploy that would recall the original Olympic Games. If anything, Greco-Roman is one the least traditional disciplines in the Olympic Games. Discuss, steeplechase, javelin are all much more traditional that Greco-Roman, and they've stayed totally unchanged. Greco-Roman is wholly and completely different than its original 19th century form. I repeat, Greco-Roman is NOT the traditional form of wrestling. There are dozens of traditional forms that have much more historical resonance, some dating back as many as 7k years. Many of these style are also MUCH more popular and marketable for wrestling. Mongolian bokh, Lucha Canaria, and Lutte Senegalese are all traditional forms that are already more popular than Greco-Roman. There is Indian Kushti (700+) and Turkish Oil Wrestling (652), along with another dozen more that would crush Greco-Roman in terms of antiquity. There is no substantive argument in keeping a sport that has little fan support and that couldn't easily be replaced by a more exciting, more inclusive style. In short, it's time to retire Greco-Roman and guarantee complete competitive equality for women. If wrestling doesn't offer complete equality, we will not make it into the 2020 Games. We should move to seven freestyle weights for men, and seven for women. The final four medals will be broken into takedown-only tournaments: one team, one individual for both men and women. Five on five for the team events (race to three), and a no weight class takedown tourney for the individual tournament. Nation vs. Nation team events draw ENORMOUS crowds on television and in person. We've seen in Senegal and Mongolia that the takedown-only format is both highly competitive and rewards the hardest working, most-technical wrestlers, as evidenced in certain wrestlers winning multiple titles year after year. Takedown-only events would be the ENTRY POINT for sports fans to get interested in the sport. It would allow them the opportunity to get more invested in the sport, because we could describe simple holds and techniques because they always lead to one, simple conclusion: Takedowns. Just like with soccer and basketball, whose sports have advanced metrics and endless analysis, wrestling could enjoy media-saturation if the outcomes were easy to determine. I have visions of analysts sitting around with highlighters circling where Reece Humphrey was able to secure the TAKEDOWN against the Korean wrestler because his foot was placed JUST SO on his inside trip. If a fan knows that falling down first is how you lose, then the media and analysts can give you 100 million reasons it did, or didn't happen. But when it's two guys hand-fighting, with rules that are too complicated for ninety percent of wrestling fans to understand, then we can't do the simple analysis on television. You be the judge. Alexander Karelin loses out on four Olympic titles because he unlocked his hands in a clinch. Is that wrestling? Is that REAL competition? The single biggest upset in wrestling history is a 14-minute long match with only moderate fan cheering, largely because nobody, including then President Juan Antonio Samaranch, understood who won, or why. On the other side, a very briefly edited video of a takedown-only team event in the middle of Africa. More than 10k crazed fans, cheers, and excitement. Please try and imagine what that could be like at the Olympics. Karelin vs. Gardner Chad vs. Central Africa Rant of the Week! In response to Olympian Jake Herbert's accusation that he wasn't donating money to the cause to Save Olympic Wrestling, and that he was personally stiffed $7k, Mike DiSabato of Cage Fighter responded. The clothing salesman who recently acquired Kyle Dake, went to Twitter to call Herbert a "douche bag" among several other less-than-flattering names. Oh, and he goes on to claim that poor sponsorship of athletes led to the murder of Dave Shultz. Here are the screen shots of his Twitter Feed: (THIS IS WHY YOU NEED TO BE ON TWITTER!) Herbert antagonizes DiSabato, who he believes owes him $7k, but is currently making enough money to offer Kyle Dake a six-figure contract ... Re: Jake Herbert's intelligence ... Calling Herbert "a(n) arrogant prick" ... On why DiSabato thinks Jake isn't making any financial gains post-wrestling ... Herbert's performance at the 2012 Olympics was deemed subpar by DiSabato ... DiSabato seems to be making the point that John DuPont wouldn't have killed Dave Shultz had there been an apparel company to sponsor wrestlers ... DiSabato believes the UFC's Dana White has acted in the same manner ...

Fight Now TV Presents Takedown Wrestling in the Brute studios. Takedown Wrestling is proudly presented by Kemin, Inspired Molecular Solutions! This Saturday it's Takedown Wrestling Radio from 9 to 11 a.m. CT/10 a.m. to noon ET. Join Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Terry Cook, our own Jeff Murphy and Brad Johnson live from Des Moines, Iowa. This week Bob Selby takes my place as I announce both the NY and LA Beat The Streets events. This week's guests: 9:03 Reece Humphrey, U.S. men's freestyle wrestler 9:20 Joe Russell, George Mason head wrestling coach 9:40 Patrick Hadley, Adam Frey Film producer 9:50 Tyler Barkley, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Update 10:00 Scott Hinkel, Purdue head wrestling coach 10:20 Kevin Jackson, Iowa State head wrestling coach 10:40 Jake Herbert, U.S. men's freestyle wrestler 10:50 Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort Fans, athletes, coaches: This is your sport. Join in the conversation live. Ask questions. Call 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966. Takedown Wrestling is available on radio on AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa, online at Livesportsvideo.com, or on your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio app. (Click on KXNO under Sportsradio.)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Lutte Licensing Group, LLC (Lutte) announced today an exclusive sponsorship, licensing and marketing agreement with four-time NCAA champion & 2013 Dan Hodge Trophy winner Kyle Dake. Kyle Dake defeated Hassan Tahmasebi of Iran on Wednesday night (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Lutte, which also holds the exclusive licensing and manufacturing rights to mixed martial arts brands Cage Fighter and CF Athletic, entered the authentic athletic mixed martial arts branded apparel business in 2007 and has been a prominent supporter of the mixed martial arts and mixed martial artists at all levels of the sport since entering the Octagon at UFC 74. Dake, who made history in March by becoming the first ever athlete to win four NCAA championships in four different weight classes, is the first athlete in the history of the sport in the United States to receive a multi-year guaranteed contract to endorse both an apparel & shoe brand immediately following the completion of his collegiate wrestling career. In 2011, Lutte also signed two-time NCAA champion, Jordan Burroughs, to a then historic multi-year endorsement agreement to represent the CF Athletic brand's growing wrestling apparel category. The agreement between Lutte and Dake is also historic as Dake will not only wear CF Athletic combat apparel to train and compete in at the international level, but he will also be the first athlete in the history of the sport to put his name on a wrestling shoe immediately following the commencement of his collegiate career. Dake's yearly compensation will likely garner him well over six figures per year as Lutte is the first company in the history of the sport of wrestling to pay an athlete a percentage of sales in line with the rates received by athletes in other major professional sports in the United States. The announcement of this historic business relationship between Lutte (which means Wrestling in French) and Dake comes on the heels of the International Olympic Committee's announcement in February that the IOC executive board recommended the sport of wrestling bedropped from the Olympic program in 2020. "We believe in the sport of wrestling long term and we believe in Kyle Dake," says Lutte's Founder & President Michael DiSabato, a former D1 wrestler at The Ohio State University. "Wrestling is the oldest and greatest sport in the world and has always been the cornerstone of our brand and the athletes we choose to endorse. We believe in wrestling at all levels and our deal with Kyle shows that the numbers are significant enough in our sport to compensate athletes who compete in the sport fairly," says DiSabato. "The name Dake means winner as Kyle has represented himself and our sport at the highest level both on the mat and in the classroom." Kyle Dake won four NCAA Division I championships at Cornell (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Lutte is expected to launch its on-the-mat relationship with Dake today as the Ithaca, N.Y. native is scheduled to debut on the international wrestling scene at the Rumble on the Rails event set for the historic Grand Central Station in New York City this afternoon against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Dake will also compete later this year for a spot on the U.S .World Team in Stillwater, Okla., in June. Lutte has already begun work on the first generation CF Athletic KyleDake signature shoe set for release later this year. The CF Athletic Dake signature shoe is to be appropriately named, The Revolution. "One thing is clear to me and many in wrestling, we need to change the way our sport is marketed and the way our athletes are compensated. Look at the UFC, NBA, NASCAR, PGA and the NFL for examples. The athlete story is what builds brands and builds fan interest. The REVOLUTION is coming." Says DiSabato. Lutte Licensing Group, LLC is a boutique manufacturing and licensing company started by Michael H. DiSabato. Lutte Licensing Group owns exclusive licensing rights to prominent mixed martial arts brands including Cage Fighter and CF Athletic. Cage Fighter. CF is worn by undefeated UFC title contender and two-time U.S. Olympian Daniel Cormier. CF has also been worn by some of the finest athletes in mixed martial arts including Chuck Liddell, B.J. Penn, Urijah Faber, Forrest Griffin, Gray Maynard, Mo Lawal, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, Josh Thompson, Phil Davis, Chris Weidman and Mike Swick. DiSabato is also credited for developing the first and only mixed martial arts lifestyle brand, MMA Elite, to be sold to Walmart stores in both the U.S. and Canada.

NEW YORK -- Team USA made a statement on Wednesday night in New York with a convincing 8-1 victory over world wrestling power Russia at the Rumble on the Rails at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal. Jordan Burroughs improved to 53-0 in his international wrestling career (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)All five men's freestyle matches were won by the U.S., as well the lone women's freestyle match. Russia's lone win came in the final match of the dual meet in Greco-Roman. World and Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs extended his international win streak to 53, but needed three periods to do against Saba Khubetzhty at 74 kilos. The first period went to Khubetzhty 1-1, as the Russian scored the last point in the period with a pushout. Burroughs came back strong to win the second period 5-0, and closed out the match with a 7-3 victory in the final period. Current college stars Logan Stieber and David Taylor came through with big victories for Team USA. Stieber, a two-time NCAA champion in two seasons at Ohio State, stunned world No. 1 Opan Sat, 5-7, 6-0, 3-0, at 60 kilos. Stieber jumped out to a 3-0 lead early, scoring with a takedown and ankle lace. But Sat battled back to win the opening period 7-5, with all of his points coming from a flurry. Stieber was dominant in the second period, winning 6-0. The final period came down to the leg clinch, and Stieber came out on top with a three-point crotch lift. Taylor, a runner-up at this year's U.S. Open, was dominant from start to finish against Magomed Kurbanaliev. After Taylor took the opening period 7-2, he threw Kurbanaliev to his back early in the second period to earn the fall. Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott won in three periods over Artas Sanaa at 60 kilos. Scott won the first period 1-0, scoring a one-point takedown. Sanaa came back to win the second period by scoring from the leg clinch. In the third period Scott used a three-point double leg takedown in the final 30 seconds to win the period 3-0 and take the match. Scott Casber interviews Kurt Angle at the Rumble on the Rails (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Brent Metcalf came from behind to defeat Soslan Ramanov, 0-2, 1-0, 7-0, at 66 kilos. In the only women's freestyle match, Helen Maroulis, a 2012 World silver medalist, pinned Irina Kisel (Russia) early in the second period. The U.S. picked up wins in two of the three Greco-Roman matches contested. Kendrick Sanders earned a 1-0, 1-0 victory over Asker Orshokdugov at 66 kilos. Ben Provisor followed up with a three-period victory over Ambako Vachadze, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0. Russia's one win came in the final match of the dual meet, where Evgeni Saleev came from behind to defeat Jordan Holm, 0-1, 1-0, 1-0. Earlier in the day, Iran won six of seven matches against a Team USA squad in men's freestyle. The lone bright spot for Team USA came at 74 kilos, where Kyle Dake, in his first international match since ending his college wrestling career as a four-time NCAA champion, topped Hassan Tahmasebi, 2-0, 1-0. USA 8, Russia 1 Men's freestyle 60 kilos: Coleman Scott (USA) dec. Artas Sanaa (Russia), 1-0, 0-1, 3-0 60 kilos: Logan Stieber (USA) dec. Opan Sat (Russia), 5-7, 6-0, 3-0 66 kilos: Brent Metcalf (USA) dec. Soslan Ramanov (Russia), 0-2, 1-0, 7-0 74 kilos: David Taylor (USA) pinned Magomed Kurbanaliev (Russia), 7-2, 0:16 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Saba Khubezhty (Russia), 1-1, 5-0, 7-3 Women's freestyle 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis (USA) pinned Irina Kisel (Russia), 2-0, 0:35 Greco-Roman 66 kilos: Kendrick Sanders (USA) dec. Asker Orshokdugov (Russia), 1-0, 1-0 74 kilos: Ben Provisor (USA) dec. Ambako Vachadze (Russia), 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 84 kilos: Evgeni Saleev (Russia) dec. Jordan Holm (USA), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0 Iran 6, USA 1 Men's freestyle 55 kilos: Mehdi Taghavi (Iran) dec. Obe Blanc (USA), 0-1, 1-0, 5-2 60 kilos: Masoud Esmailpour Joybari (Iran) dec. Reece Humphrey (USA), 1-0, 6-0 66 kilos: Mehdi Taghavi (Iran) dec. Kellen Russell (USA), 3-1, 0-2 74 kilos: Kyle Dake (USA) dec. Hassan Tahmasebi (Iran), 2-0, 1-0 84 kilos: Ehsan Lashgari (Iran) dec. Keith Gavin (USA), 1-0, 1-0 96 kilos: Hamed Tatari (Iran) dec. J.D. Bergman (USA), 3-1, 1-0 120 kilos: Khomeil Ghasemi (Iran) dec. Tervel Dlagnev (USA), 1-1, 1-0

USA 8, Russia 1 Men's freestyle 60 kilos: Coleman Scott (USA) dec. Artas Sanaa (Russia), 1-0, 0-1, 3-0 60 kilos: Logan Stieber (USA) dec. Opan Sat (Russia), 5-7, 6-0, 3-0 66 kilos: Brent Metcalf (USA) dec. Soslan Ramanov (Russia), 0-2, 1-0, 7-0 74 kilos: David Taylor (USA) pinned Magomed Kurbanaliev (Russia), 7-2, 0:16 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Saba Khubezhty (Russia), 1-1, 5-0, 7-3 Women's freestyle 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis (USA) pin Irina Kisel (Russia), 2-0, 0:35 Greco-Roman 66 kilos: Kendrick Sanders (USA) dec. Asker Orshokdugov (Russia), 1-0, 1-0 74 kilos: Ben Provisor (USA) dec. Ambako Vachadze (Russia), 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 84 kilos: Evgeni Saleev (Russia) dec. Jordan Holm (USA), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0 Iran 6, USA 1 Men's freestyle 55 kilos: Mehdi Taghavi (Iran) dec. Obe Blanc (USA), 0-1, 1-0, 5-2 60 kilos: Masoud Esmailpour Joybari (Iran) dec. Reece Humphrey (USA), 1-0, 6-0 66 kilos: Mehdi Taghavi (Iran) dec. Kellen Russell (USA), 3-1, 0-2 74 kilos: Kyle Dake (USA) dec. Hassan Tahmasebi (Iran), 2-0, 1-0 84 kilos: Ehsan Lashgari (Iran) dec. Keith Gavin (USA), 1-0, 1-0 96 kilos: Hamed Tatari (Iran) dec. J.D. Bergman (USA), 3-1, 1-0 120 kilos: Khomeil Ghasemi (Iran) dec. Tervel Dlagnev (USA), 1-1, 1-0

Last week FILA published its first men's freestyle World rankings, which is extremely encouraging. The rankings have some problems, among them is that they seem to lack internal logic as how much to weigh certain events, but what they reveal more than anything is a more systemic problem with wrestling itself. The rankings only look at results from this past year, which makes sense, but in 2013, only six of London's 14 Olympic finalists have competed. I'm willing to bet that not all eight of the remaining finalists have retired, and that we will see at least half of them at the next World Championships. Unfortunately, they have little incentive to participate in the meantime, as these World rankings will have no effect on their draw at Worlds. As of now, these World rankings are replete with faces and names that I guarantee won't be particularly relevant come time for the World Championships. I'm appreciative that FILA has tasked someone like Mr. May with formulating these rankings. I hope that at some point in the future these rankings grow some teeth. Opan SatAt the Beat the Streets Gala this week, also known as "The Rumble on the Rails" we will be treated to seeing the wrestling from some of the names from the newly minted rankings. One of the world's No. 1-ranked wrestlers (and he should be), who will show up this week in New York is Russia's 60-kilo triple European champion Opan Sat. Other than his wrestling, which is superb, a few things jump out about Mr. Sat. First off he has a really cool name; it almost sounds like he's from the future. The second thing you may notice is Opan's appearance. We think of Russia as a European nation, but Sat's features are more paradigmatically Asian. This should remind us that Russia in its vastness is not monolithic, rather, it's a state which is an amalgamation of many different smaller countries. These smaller countries are home to people from hundreds of different ethnicities. While someone who is technically Russian living next to the Baltic Sea may have fair skin and blue eyes, a Russian who grew up on the coast of the Sea of Japan will likely look very different. Opan Sat is from a semi-autonomous republic contained with Russia known as the Tyva Republic, nestled between Siberia and Mongolia. Ethnically, Sat is Tuvan, more closely related to Mongolians than an ethnic Russian. Though wrestling is the national sport of the Tyva Republic, for a Tuvan to ascend to the top in Russia is fairly rare. The landscape of Russian wrestling is dominated by natives of Caucuses mountain republics like Ossetia, Dagestan, or Kabardino-Balkaria. This is what really makes wrestling special. A young man from a forgotten corner of the planet, of a people that almost nobody has ever heard of, will walk step on a mat in the middle of Manhattan, and there he will be a star. Only in wrestling will you see stories like that of Opan Sat. The state of the Iranian wrestling team Komeil GhasemiI heard someone remark on the unfortunate absence of Iran's Olympic silver medalist 74-kilo wrestler Sadegh Goudarzi and 96-kilo World champ Reza "The Panther of Juybar" Yazdani from the Iranian contingent this week for the USA-Iran dual meet. This is still a very good team, essentially the same squad that crushed the USA six matches to one at this past World Cup. Six of its seven wrestlers either have won a World or Olympic medal, or will seriously threaten for one at the next World Championships. If this is indeed Iran's current No. 1 team, I would probably rank it as the third best team in the world, placing the assembled best wrestlers of Russian and Azerbaijan as Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Considering the beating they laid on us the last time we met, I am very concerned about the U.S.'s chances in this dual meet. 55 kilos: Iran's Hassan Rahimi is a World bronze medalist. He's beaten Nick Simmons in the past, and at the World Cup comfortably beat an overmatched Zach Sanders. 60 kilos: Iran's Masoud Esmailpour Jouybari has never placed at a world-level tournament and lost to Coleman Scott at last year's World Cup. This year's World Cup was a different story altogether, as Esmailpour overwhelmed Scott with his physicality, horsing him around with a vicious underhook for several takedowns. The way he wrestled, I half expected him to slip on a black Iowa warmup after he stepped off the mat. 66 kilos: Iran's Mehdi Taghavi Kermani is a multiple-time World champ. This isn't to say he's unbeatable. He's endured some questionable losses over the past couple years and did not place in London. That being said, when he faced Brent Metcalf in Tehran a few months ago, it was pretty ugly, and quick as Taghavi blew Metcalf out of the water. 74 kilos: I'm not going to pretend to know much about the Iranian here. Hassan Tahmasebi should be a nice test for Kyle Dake. 84 kilos: Olympic bronze medalist Ehsan Lashgari is compact, quick, and very, very strong. He has uncanny timing with his snatch singles. 96 kilos: Hamed Tatari beat J.D. Bergman in Tehran, though the match was fairly competitive. Perhaps the U.S. has a chance here. 120 kilos: Komeil Ghasemi now has two wins over Tervel. In the last match in Iran, he hit what appeared to be a super duck on him. I sort of thought that the first win over Tervel was a fluke, but that super duck ... wow. Like I said, seeing how we match up with Iran, our chances don't look too great, but hope springs eternal. There's probably going to be a ton of happy Iranian wrestling fans in New York this week. Hopefully this event gives the sport the showcase it sorely needs ahead of the IOC board meeting.

Mike Moyer

EDINBORO, Pa. -- Eastern Wrestling League Commissioner Bruce Baumgartner today announced the addition of two teams beginning in 2013-14. George Mason University and Rider University are joining the EWL after previously competing in the Colonial Athletic Association. The addition of George Mason and Rider brings the EWL back to seven teams, including Bloomsburg, Clarion, Cleveland State, Edinboro and Lock Haven. West Virginia departed following the 2011-12 season for the Big Eight and Pittsburgh, the EWL Tournament champion in 2012 and '13, is leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference. It also marks the first time the EWL has expanded since Virginia Tech, now also a member of the ACC, joined the conference in 1999. "We are extremely happy to announce the addition of George Mason and Rider," related Baumgartner, who also serves as the Director of Athletics at Edinboro. "We add two very sound wrestling programs with solid traditions. It brings the EWL back to seven teams and we will continue to have a quality season-ending qualifying tournament. In addition, this solidifies schedules with the teams meeting in a round-robin format. We welcome George Mason and Rider to the EWL. Their addition allows us to maintain the national respect for the Eastern Wrestling League." Baumgartner stressed that the league's coaches will meet in the future to work out details in the transition year. With schedules virtually in place, the league will likely not begin the round-robin duals until 2014-15. He also noted that Cleveland State will host the 2014 EWL Championships on Saturday, March 8, 2014. "Myself and the entire coaching staff are very excited about joining the EWL," commented long-time Rider head coach Gary Taylor, who has 390 career wins in 35 years as head coach. "It is with great respect and appreciation that we accepted the invitation from EWL Commissioner Bruce Baumgartner." "The EWL's history of success over the years speaks volumes to the fact that they consistently are one of the elite NCAA Div 1 wrestling conferences in the country. Since 1984 the EWL has produced 25 NCAA Champions and hundreds of All Americans. We look forward to being a part of this prestigious wrestling league and will work hard to contribute to the future success of the EWL." George Mason head coach Joe Russell echoed Taylor's sentiments. "We are excited to join the EWL. The league has stood the test of time and has produced some great wrestlers. We will need to improve as a whole to be competitive in this league. The bar has been raised and we are going to make positive gains as a result. This is a good day for Mason Wrestling." Edinboro head coach Tim Flynn sees the expansion as a positive move for the conference. "We're very happy George Mason and Rider have decided to join us," he stated. "Regionally it makes a lot of sense. It provides us with two solid teams. We look forward to competing against them." In fact, Edinboro has a dual scheduled against Rider in 2013-14. Rider was a member of the Colonial Athletic Association for wrestling since 2002 and placed second at the 2013 CAA Championships. The Broncs were previously members of the East Coast Conference and the East Coast Wrestling Association from 1975-2001 and won 13 ECC/ECWA Championships. They served as host for the NCAA Division I National Champions in 2001 in Philadelphia and in 2002 in Albany. Rider competes in all other sports in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. George Mason moves to the Atlantic 10 Conference effective July 2013. Russell took over as the head coach of the Patriots in July 2011. The former Minnesota assistant coach now looks to continue rebuilding their wrestling fortunes in the EWL. The Patriots earned five Colonial Athletic Association championships since joining the conference in 1992.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. -- Rider University has accepted an invitation to join the Eastern Wrestling League, Rider Director of Athletics Don Harnum announced. “Rider University and the EWL both have a long history of Division I wrestling success,” said Harnum. “When you combine great wrestling tradition with our geographic compatibility, I am confident this partnership will be beneficial to all involved. We look forward to competing in the EWL next season.” Current EWL members include Lock Haven University, Clarion University, Bloomsburg University, Edinboro University and Cleveland State University. The EWL announced that George Mason has also accepted an invitation to join the EWL for 2013-14. “I am very excited, as is our entire staff, about joining the EWL,” said Rider head coach Gary Taylor, the second most winningest active coach in the NCAA with 390 victories at Rider. “It is with great respect and appreciation that we accepted the invitation from EWL Commissioner Bruce Baumgartner." Rider was a member of the Colonial Athletic Association for wrestling since 2002 and placed second in the 2013 CAA Championships with four NCAA qualifiers. The CAA announced recently that it is no longer sponsoring a championship in the sport of wrestling. The EWL has had seven NCAA individual National Champions since 2001 and in just the last two years produced 10 All-Americans. Edinboro has won 12 EWL Titles and finished 14th at the 2013 NCAA Championships. “The EWL's history of success over the years speaks volumes to the fact that they consistently are one of the elite NCAA Division I wrestling conferences in the country,” added Taylor, who has coached 13 All-Americans and 64 individual conference champions at Rider. “Since 1984 the EWL has produced 25 NCAA Champions and hundreds of All-Americans. We look forward to being a part of this prestigious wrestling league and will work hard to contribute to the future success of the EWL.” Rider was a member of the East Coast Conference and the East Coast Wrestling Association from 1975-2001 and won 13 ECC/ECWA Championships. Rider has twice served as host for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, in 2011 in Philadelphia, PA and in Albany, NY in 2002. The Broncs return four NCAA qualifiers and have added three nationally ranked recruits for the 2013-14 season.

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. Your job this month is to support wrestling. You are to vote, you are to attend events, and you are to be a publicity generator. Your Facebook friends will be inundated with your appeals. You WILL Save Olympic Wrestling. For quick reference here are the things you should be doing at this moment, or have completed in the past week. Please don't read the Mailbag, until you've completed your assignments. The TA will be checking your work. Vote for Wrestling. Vote for Kyle Dake. Support the Curby Cup (Chicago), Sunday, May 12. Support Rumble on the Rails (New York City), Wednesday, May 15. Support the United-4-Wrestling (Los Angeles), Sunday, May 19. Like FILA_Official on Facebook. To your questions ... Q: What do you think of Blair academy hiring Solomon Fleckman as their head coach? Why was Charles Danhof not promoted from interim to head coach? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Solomon Fleckman has a history at Blair Academy, and unless he's become a worse coach with experience, I see him being the right fit for the program. He's a smart, engaging guy with a tough streak that earns him respect with his wrestlers. Fleckman has a tough role to fill, stepping in for the legendary Coach Buxton, but he'll manage what he can, and I think, do a superb job. Q: I've noticed recently that guys will compete for multiple teams at a tournament, like Reece Humphrey at the U.S. Open wrestling for the NYAC and Ohio RTC. Would you be able to shed some light on these teams? Are wrestlers awarded a scholarship so to speak if they wrestle for a club, or are they expected to work a nine to five and compete on an elite level after putting in a day at the office? Do different teams cater to different styles like in MMA with Team Alpha Male primarily pumping out the little guys while the Blackzillians are known for their striking? How does a wrestler decide to join or represent a certain team? -- Curt H. Foley: Non-profit clubs set up by wealthy individuals have supported the efforts of our international wrestlers for decades. Sunkist Kids, NYAC, and Gator were some of the best-known entities in the sport. The wrestlers would work as coaches, or train at Colorado Springs, and earn additional income through the non-profit contributions of the clubs. The wrestlers are given a 1099 for their monies, and made responsible for any tax liability it might create. Recently, the training situation, aided by relaxed NCAA regulations, has moved towards college campuses, with Ohio State, Cornell and Michigan all hosting top-notch teams. Those teams work out together and earn funding from local donors. However, they also receive monies from their traditional backers like the NYAC and Sunkist Kids. These powerhouses, along with Titan Mercury WC, are the ones to accumulate team points because they fund wrestlers from all different clubs and independents. As for why they decide each program, that depends on their needs. The Ohio RTC is probably best known for its lightweights, but that doesn't exclude them from having some heavy-hitters in the upperweights. Really, it's all about relationships. If you know a guy, or have worked before with the coaches on staff (how Michigan landed Herbert), you'll make the decision to train. As for the money, that too comes from pre-existing relationships. If you're coming from a school that has a nice relationship with Sunkist Kids and the Martori's are treating you well, then it figures you stay under their banner. Q: I read a couple of articles about the India Wrestling League scheduled to kick off this November. I was wondering what your thoughts were on this league. Is this something that can sustain and grow, or will it go the way of the Real Pro Wrestling? -- Dan K. Foley: I love the idea and I think that the Indian sports market is prepared to explode along with its middle class. Indians are obsessed with cricket. Not like we are with football, but an everyday, every moment passion for the sport like soccer that doesn't take a major seasonal hiatus. Though this has been true since British colonization, cricket was difficult to monetize because the games could last as many as three days. Finally a few bright Indians got together and said, "Hey, our rules make it difficult for fans to understand. I think we need to make a change." Enter: The IPL. Shorter than three-day long cricket matches, the IPL games take 2.5 to 3 hours and are littered with cheerleaders, hot women in the crowd, sponsorships, rule reminders, good commentary, and rife with storytelling. On my trip three weeks ago I was not only capable of picking up the rules in 30 minutes. I was cheering for a team, and by the end standing outside the hotel entryway cheering on the Chennai Super Kings! IWL could do much the same thing. One of the ideas is that you can play the reruns in an abbreviated manner, much like they do IPL. Instead of just showing the live event which still features plenty of camera angles and smash cuts, the IWL would show matches, but cut through the highlights to build the drama. It takes away from the live aspect of the event, but adds an incredible amount of excitement. Though Indian wrestling has very simple rules, it's my understanding they'll be using freestyle rules. There are currently 6 teams and an expected 30 total matches. Wrestlers from around the world have also been invited to participate. My thought is that it'll have support, and will build on that support over time. However, I think the reaction to the IOC's May, and possible September decisions, will decide how popular the league will become. If they are able to capture the emotions of a disappointed wrestling community, or if they are able to piggyback the jovial disposition of a recently approved sport, then the IWL could be a big deal. Q: Who is Bloomsburg going to hire? -- John K. Foley: There are plenty of solid young candidates. The most important part is that they hire someone who can become the coach/CEO that the spot needs. For that I'd look to the schools that have head coaches who taught their assistants these lessons. Cornell has a stable of solid options, as does Virginia with Alex Clemson who went to college in Pennsylvania. Lehigh has a great one in Brad Dillon, and Maryland with two-time Nebraska All-American Todd Beckerman. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Asian Championships Real Pro Wrestling Wrestling needs more of this: Beat the Streets LA's new short film: Stella(r) Kids Q: One of the more popular events in the Olympic events happens to be beach volleyball in particular women's beach volleyball. I am not trying to be disrespectful to our great and wonderful sport, but I think beach wrestling would be a better substitute for Greco-Roman for the person who's never watched wrestling. Now if you have guys in fight shorts or practice pants (you know the ones that resemble biker shorts) and for women a two-piece that resembles a women's track uniform or the beach volleyball two pieces. Do you think that FILA would go for it? I think the IOC could eat up if they are looking for you're looking TV. ratings because there would be an element of sex appeal. Would the athletes go for it? Do you think it would cheapen the sport? What do you think? -- Marcus R. Foley: You know that sex sells, but you feel guilty because it might make you look misogynist. Don't fret. There is some major support from WOMEN for what you're advocating. And the attitudes about sex in sports is changing rapidly. Singlets aren't made for women, and the only sexism comes from insisting that they wear the same uniform as men. This is the actually the same argument that the Australian women's basketball team used when they decided to change their uniforms for the Olympics. Yeah, some miserable, un-fun woman had a public moaning, but this was THEIR decision. What's wrong with wanting to look good while you compete? And they DO look good. Women should move over to something more flattering. Two-pieces might not be the perfect answer, but there are some much, much better options that could be made available. Not only would this promote better viewership, but it might also promote more participation by women who right now see wrestling as the ultimate male sport. As for the men, we too have to bag the singlet. Depsite being all that most American fans know to be the uniform of wrestling, the singlet IS NOT THE TRADITIONAL OUTFIT OF WRESTLING. In fact, in a sport that has spanned more than 9k years of recorded competition, singlets have only been used from 50. You do the math, but I'm pretty sure that barely registers as a blip on the radar. The most traditional outfit would be shorts with no shirt, and shoes that match in style, but that can have differing flare. For men, singlets need to be replaced with fight shorts and either short sleeve or long sleeve rash guards. Ridiculous as you think it seems, there are wide swaths of humanity who cannot get past the awkwardness of two men in tight singlets rolling around with each other. Call them small-minded, moan till you're miserable, but you are never going to overcome the association between singlet wrestling and negative sexual connotations until the outfits are less revealing in the crotch. Changing the outfits would also generate MILLIONS of dollars in apparel sales, and create a more comfortable environment for pubescent teenagers just entering the sport. Wrestling should always be about the wrestling. Singlets are a distraction that has NO cultural significance outside of the wrestling community's nostalgia for what they think it means to other people. Ironically, singelts represent the exact opposite of what we want them to represent. Seriously, get on board already. The singlet is dead. Q: Just to add to your discussion on NCAA venue location. What about Kansas City? I know that the last time they were here in 2003 it probably didn't get the best response. Since then Kansas City has added the Sprint Center downtown, which holds around 18,000, the Power and Light District right across the street, a premier place for socializing, drinks, and food. Also many hotels have been added and renovated to accommodate many incoming events. It has been a great host for the Big 12 basketball tournament and a regional site for the NCAA basketball tournament. KCI is only 20 minutes away and many area high schools would be able to accommodate workout sessions if needed. Of course I am a little biased, but would love to see it back here and I believe a central, Midwest location is the best for college wrestling and making it profitable. Your thoughts? -- Robert Foley: I'm sorry, Robert, but there is no way I could endorse Kansas City. The sport needs to go bigger, and that means being seen in major media markets. I like your city. I've had fun and gotten into trouble in your city. But to be a main attraction the sport is going to have to be seen by more people, not fewer. I'll be in town again soon, and will be sure to give the Power and Light District some close inspection. Maybe that'll change my mind. Q: Quick question for your mailbag. The wrestling community is very vocal about the ball grab/clinch and we're all saying the same thing ... that it's terrible. It's been hated on since it was implemented by FILA (for good reason, it sucks). WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO CHANGE THIS RULE? Who do I have to write letters to?! I'm sick of watching great matches be decided by this garbage. Just at this year's U.S. Open Oliver vs. Metcalf, Oliver vs. Russell, Stieber vs. Humphrey, the list goes on forever. I'm trying to be proactive and I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to do something about this nonsense. The 2/3 periods rule and pushout rule are also terrible but I think the clinch is the worst thing to happen to our sport. -- Danny Foley: The ball draw is dead. No matter what happens with the sport, and with FILA it will be eliminated. Not saying that the hair-brained ideas of what comes next won't be equally irritating, but it's a start. We'll also see a return to cumulative scoring and more passivity calls. I like the pushout rule, but it can't be worth as much as a takedown, which I think will also be addressed in the rule changes. Q: Destin McCauley: what do you think he does at Nebraska? If memory serves me correctly, he is projected at 149 or 157. Jake Sueflohn just moved up to 149, and he was a Big Ten finalist. At 157, there is two-time All American James Green. Both will be juniors. Do you think after postponing college for two years, McCauley redshirts? Do you think he wrestles off one of these two guys? Or do you think Nebraska shuffles the weights. -- Mark K. Foley: DMac is going 149 and I'd project him as a high All-American or national finalist. The kid might be wishy-washy on where he'd like to study, but when it comes time to scrap he can lay down a beating. Remember that he has a win over Hunter Stieber Introducing the new Mailbag feature: Informative Rant of the Week! Re: Las Vegas hosting the U.S. Open. Because it's FREE, or nearly so. Why are the PA State Wrestling Championships held in Hershey, or all places? Because the GIANT Center is Free. Why is it free? Because the Herco Company OWNS it, as well as a fair amount of the local hotels and eating establishments, to say nothing of the adjacent Outlets and Hershey Amusement Park. Several years ago, PSU/Bryce Jordan Center put in a bid to sponsor the PA States Wrestling tourney -- and put in an incredibly low-ball bid -- but still lost! They were furious and did some digging -- they unearthed the Herco deal and complained to PIAA about "the unfairness of it all ... " Herco simply came out a said that 'all was fair' because they were willing to "eat" the Arena cost for PIAA because they made it up on the back end with their local monopoly in services. Same for Vegas. Airfare is incredibly cheap because it's subsidized. Hotel rooms are incredibly cheap because they're subsidized. Food is incredibly cheap, and amazingly plentiful, because it's subsidized. The Vegas Convention Center is incredibly cheap, or free, because it's subsidized. These are all subsidized by the casinos that support these events and activities, via the Vegas Convention Center Authority, whose mission is to promote ATTENDANCE IN VEGAS, anywhere in Vegas and for any reason, because the town/casinos make up the 'loss-leaders' in gambling take. So long as Vegas is willing to step up and make it cheap to be there, especially on 'off-season' times like the U.S. Open in April/May, they'll be held there. -- Mike R. Since it's the time of year for graduation speeches, I thought I'd leave you with arguably the greatest of all-time.

Without any major MMA card on the horizon, Richard and John analyze the latest news. Anderson Silva picked up a $50,000 fine by skipping a press conference. That's just unprofessional. AmIRight, Nick Diaz? Bellator has a new reality show coming out. Which is good, since The Ultimate Fighter isn't stale at all and Joe Riggs needs a paycheck. Oh, and that crappy heavyweight boxer that's best known for hitting himself in the face during a bout? He's got Dana White's attention. Dana hasn't been trolled since... Wait, Chael Sonnen fought for the title again? Nevermind. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

Roger Kish just completed his second season as head wrestling coach at North Dakota State. He led the Bison to the Western Wrestling Conference (WCC) regular season title with a perfect 5-0 dual meet record. Kish also produced his first All-American. InterMat recently caught up with Kish. You're coming off a season in which you won the WWC dual meet title, finished second in the West Regional, and 30th at the NCAAs. What's your overall assessment of the season you had? Kish: Overall, we had an up-and-down season. Our guys compete hard. They continue to work and train hard. That's all we can ask out of them. We made a lot of mistakes throughout the year. But we keep bouncing back, learning, and getting better. Overall, I think the boys did a good job. We're happy with where we're at. Our ultimate goal is to continue to get better. Trent Sprenkle became your first All-American by placing fifth at 125 pounds. How gratifying was it for you as a coach to see him finish his career on the All-American podium? Roger Kish (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Kish: That's an important piece. The guy has worked hard. He has been there. He's had the experience. He was a round of 12 finisher the last three years. He came across some tough guys. A couple years back he caught Ryan Mango in the round of 12. The previous year he wrestled Zach Sanders in the round of 12. And this year obviously he wrestled Matt McDonough in the round of 12. I think having that experience under his belt and being put in those pressure situations and being able to learn from it is important. Outside of that you couldn't ask for a better ending to a career for a kid like that. He's just one of those guys who works hard day in and day out. He does it with a smile on his face. It's good to see a young man who has been there and worked so hard to come away with the All-American title. That was big for him. We were happy as coaches to see him succeed in that way. As you touched on, Sprenkle had a win over three-time NCAA finalist Matt McDonough of Iowa in the round of 12. What did you tell him before he faced McDonough? Kish: Our conversation really revolved around an opportunity. We talked a bit about going out there, wrestling hard, and laying it all out there. We were expecting a low-scoring, hard-fought match. We knew it was going to tough. I think that kind of played to our advantage. We capitalized on his mistakes. For us, the conversation was, 'Hey, we've got to be tougher than this guy for seven-plus minutes. If we do that and wrestle with confidence and take advantage of opportunities, then we'll be successful. Steven Monk entered the NCAAs as the No. 5 seed at 165 pounds, but fell short of All-American honors when he lost in the round of 12. What does he need to get to the next level? Kish: Steve is a unique talent. He has the ability to wrestle through positions that you see a lot of wrestlers uncomfortable in. That played in his favor throughout the year. He just has to continue to get better. There are different positions he has to work on. He has to find some more opportunities to attack and score points. He knows that's what he needs to work on. You have landed a recruiting class that includes three InterMat Top 100 recruits in Mitch Bengtson, Preston Lehmann, and Clayton Ream, plus several state champions. What excites you about the recruiting class you're bringing in? Mitch Bengtson (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Kish: Ultimately, the biggest deal is these kids are seeing our program continue to improve and take big steps. They recognize it. They understand it. And they want to be a part of it. They see the tradition of North Dakota State. That's important. As far as the individuals, they're all experienced kids. These are kids that have wrestled every day their whole lives. That experience is an important part of being successful at this level ... having all those matches under your belt and ultimately continuing to want to get better. Our goal is to recruit kids who really fit the culture here ... that is having the work ethic and the style of wrestling we're looking for. We're going to be in-your-face, let's wrestle hard, push the pace, and continue to pressure. Just that style of wrestling is something we look for. That's a big part of being successful. It all plays a role in what we're looking for ... and continuing to build a program here. Do you anticipate all of your incoming freshmen will redshirt? Or is there a chance that some could content for spots in the lineup? Kish: There are opportunities for guys who come in at a high level to earn their spot within the ten starters. It will take time. We want to definitely get them in here, get them on the mat, have an opportunity to see where they're at and see their potential, and make a decision down the road. How do you sell your program at North Dakota to potential recruits? Kish: The wrestling tradition is strong here. That's important. When we talk to different recruits it's being able to share with them the same visions that we have. The university itself is a great academic school. There's a rich tradition of wrestling here. That's what kids like. As we continue to have success in the wrestling area, it will continue to grow and stand out. Every piece is important when you try to share that with potential recruits. In what area have you grown the most as a head coach in your two seasons at North Dakota State? Kish: I think it's being able to help our student-athletes on a personal level, getting to know them personally and help them through different situations along the way. The majority of your kids are going to have some tough times along the way, so you need to adjust to each individual and help them personally and help them continue to be successful. That's the piece I'm confident we'll continue to do well with ... creating those personal relationships and make sure they know we're here for them. How much does it benefit your program to have the Junior & Cadet Nationals in Fargo every summer? Kish: I think that's important. They've had it here for 17, 18 years now. Having the opportunity to show off our program, our university, our campus, and the city of Fargo when all these kids are right here in town is important. We often have kids talk to us about it. We get a lot of people interested in the program because of the tournament. It's nice to have a lot of the best kids in the country right in our backyard. Roger Kish battling Jake Varner in the 2008 NCAAs (Photo/The Guillotine)As a competitor at the University of Minnesota, you were an NCAA runner-up as a sophomore, finished third at the NCAAs as a junior, and then battled an injury as a senior. How much do you look back on your own career and wonder what could have been if you would have stayed healthy? Kish: That's a great question ... It's wrestling, it's part of the sport. Injuries are part of the sport and being able to adjust to those. I'm one of a million different wrestles who have come across injuries along the way. You could definitely look back. But ultimately I try to look forward. I try to move on, look forward, and try to help the sport of wrestling. I try not to look back too much on the difficult parts. I look back and focus on all the good things my career has brought me. That's what I focus on. Did you contemplate wrestling freestyle after you college career? Or weren't you healthy enough to be able to do that? Kish: After so long your body just doesn't hold up. I definitely thought about it. I contemplated it a lot of times. Unfortunately, there are limitations on what your body can do. I opted to go the coaching route. I wanted to be involved in wrestling ... It's my biggest passion. I want to continue to grow my career as a coach and do everything I can to help young guys that way. When you came out of high school as one of the nation's top recruits, did you even know North Dakota State existed? Kish: Yeah, I competed in Fargo myself years ago, so I was familiar with Fargo and the big national tournament out here. When you get out here for a week at a time, you get opportunities to walk around and see the campus and university ... so I was very familiar with the university and the program. There are a lot of great things about this place. Then I went to Minnesota and became even more familiar with North Dakota State. We are only a few hours up the road. We would always come out here for the Bison Open. Roger Kish and Bret Maughan coaching at the NCAAs in Des Moines (Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Where do you see the North Dakota State wrestling program going in the next five years? Kish: We're just going to try to get better every year. We're going to continue to help our young guys develop and be successful. Our ultimate goals are to continue to compete for the conference championships. We want to get as many guys to the NCAA tournament as possible. We want to start producing multiple All-Americans year in and year out. We want to start finding some guys in that national title match, and winning NCAA titles. Those are our goals. That's what we're going to continue to train for, compete for, and recruit for. That's where we want this program and I think we're headed in the right direction. This story also appears in the May 10 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. Its mission is to report and promote wrestling at all levels -- from youth and high school wrestling to college and international level wrestling. Subscribe to The Guillotine.

STILLWATER -- The state of Oklahoma will introduce a resolution on Wednesday, celebrating World Wrestling Month and recognizing the rich history of Oklahoma wrestling, which includes 56 national team titles, 261 national champions, 65 Olympians and 21 Olympic medalists. “Oklahoma Olympic wrestling has a rich heritage and deep roots that go back to 1924, when we had Olympic medalists setting a trend for all of us to follow,” Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith said. “The medals that the state of Oklahoma has won in the sport of wrestling are phenomenal. I’m very honored to be a small part of this great wrestling state.” Smith was a six-time world champion between 1987-92, and two of those titles came with Olympic gold medals in the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul and in Barcelona in 1992. Oklahoma is not the first state to pass a resolution like this and it won’t be the last as 13 other states are in the process of urging the International Olympic Committee to reverse its decision made in mid-February to recommend the removal of wrestling as an Olympic sport. “I’m proud that at the state capitol we’re recognizing what wrestling in the Olympics has meant to the state of Oklahoma,” Smith said. “This house concurrent resolution is a way of letting the IOC know that we will continue to fight for wrestling to stay in the Olympics.” Expected to be in attendance are several leaders within the wrestling world including four-time All-American from the University of Oklahoma Roger Frizzell, Olympic champion Wayne Wells and Smith. The session will begin at 1 p.m. at the Capitol building. In late May, the IOC executive board will meet in St. Petersburg, Russia, to review which of the eight potential provisional sports will be sent to the IOC general assembly for a final vote of inclusion in the 2020 Games. The final vote will take place in September in Argentina.

John Stutzman

BUFFALO, NY -- After a standout career on the mats in Alumni Arena, John Stutzman will begin a new era of Buffalo wrestling as its head coach. After eight seasons developing Bloomsburg into a national power, Stutzman has been hired as the 15th coach in the 79-year-history of the program, University at Buffalo Director of Athletics Danny White announced on Tuesday. John StutzmanStutzman guided the Huskies to a record of 97-56-1 in his eight seasons, putting him third all-time in career wins. The team finished with double-digit wins in six of his eight seasons as head coach. He has coached three NCAA Division I All-Americans, eight Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) champions, 76 EWL place winners and 33 NCAA Division I national qualifiers. Personally, Stutzman has earned the EWL Coach of the Year honors in 2007, 2010, and 2013, as well as producing the 2007 EWL and PSAC Freshman of the Year; the 2009 EWL Championship's Outstanding Wrestler and the 2011 PSAC Freshman of the Year. "We are excited to welcome John back to Buffalo. His impressive career on the mat has been matched by his long history of excellence as a coach," White said. "Given the amount of success that Coach Stutzman has experienced at Bloomsburg, I'm confident with the resources and enhanced facilities we have available, he can build UB into one of the premier wrestling programs in the nation." A 1998 graduate of UB, Stutzman was 95-27 in a three-year career for the Bulls and left as the school's all-time leader in career wins. His best year for the Bulls was the 1996-97 season when he posted a mark of 35-4, the fourth best single-season winning percentage in program history. Statistically, he is tied with recent graduate John-Martin Cannon for fourth in career takedowns, with 135. He also was a three-time East Coast Wrestling Association place winner. In 2012-13, Stutzman's Huskies posted a record of 17-3 claiming the first outright EWL Dual Meet Championships in program history while beating three nationally ranked teams in Maryland, Pittsburgh and Edinboro. The 17 wins are tied for the most in the program's history. As a team, the Huskies finished ranked 15th in the country by the NWCA. At the EWL Championships, Sutzman led the Huskies to a third place finish overall, with two EWL Champions, while qualifying six wrestlers for the NCAA Championships. In the 2008-09 season Bloomsburg was third at the EWL championships and had the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler in Matt Moley. At the NCAA Championships, Moley earned All-American honors for the second straight year, the first time since the 1988-89 season that a BU wrestler was All-American in consecutive seasons. During the 2006-07 season Stutzman earned EWL Coach of the Year honors, after helping Moley earn the EWL and PSAC Rookie of the Year Award and heavyweight Mike Spaid becoming the school's first All-American since the 1993 season. Prior to becoming Bloomsburg University's head wrestling coach, he was an assistant coach for seven years at the Division I level. During those seven seasons, he worked at UB, and at MAC-rival Northern Illinois University before joining Bloomsburg as an assistant. In addition to his college coaching duties, Stutzman has coached with the New York Athletic Club at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 USA Olympic Freestyle Trials, as well as the 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Senior World Team Trials where he has coached Six World Team Trials participants, three Olympic Team Trials participants, and one USA National Team Member. He was also an assistant wrestling coach for the 2009 NWCA All-American tour in Seoul, South Korea. Stutzman is also a member of the USA Wrestling coaching staff since 2009. He has served as the head coach of the University World Team in Warsaw, Poland; the Ziolkowski International in Spala, Poland; the Stephen Sargsyan International in Armenia; the 2011 Fila Junior World Championships; the Dimtry Korkin International in Yakutsk, Russia and the Ramzan Kadirov Cup in Chechnya, Russia. He also served as an assistant wrestling coach for Team USA for the University Team Championships in Poland in 2009. Stutzman, a native of New Castle, DE. He and his wife, Annette, have two daughters, Alexa Bryanna and Torin Valera.

Kellen Russell

Let me first apologize about this week's mailbag. The Internet in Chad (Africa) is in-and-out, which makes it difficult to do the research necessary for a good mailbag. Being on location also limits emails with coaches and phone calls. Again, I apologize, but don't worry, all your questions will all be answered next week. In lieu of the mailbag I wrote this little travel adventure from my time here in Africa. I'm a wrestler, and therefore a sucker for people and cultures that struggle. Chad is no exception. The people here are warm and kind, and this story is an honest account of my arrival. Since then we've competed the first day of the African Championships which were well-managed and exciting, with Chad winning its first-ever medals in Greco-Roman. You can see photos of their celebration on my Instagram, and the video will be uploaded to FILA. It's important to note that no travel story can give you more than a sliver of self-selected insight into what is always a complex and vibrant society of individuals. Below is just my first impression of Chad, and some of the complications were based on my mistakes. I've also had some great experiences, all of which you can read about on the FILA Facebook page this week. In Wrestling, Foley Like all impatient travelers, I ran to the front to the front of the immigration line. An Ethiopian man impresses with his ability to carry passengers to work as he also transports a few dozen mattresses ... Foley spent two days in the capital city of Addis Ababa hustling to earn a visa to ChadThe N'Djamena airport in Chad is about the size of a high school basketball gym in Indiana. There are two processing windows for international passengers, a police/doctor's office and single baggage turnstile. If they wanted to wow their guests with grandeur, they fell several sand dunes short. I'd spent much of my previous 48 hours shuttling around Addis Ababa in effort to collect the right letters and earn the right stamps to be approved for a Chadian visa. Though a chronically poor and violent country in the middle of the Sahara desert, a recent influx of money from mining and oil operations positioned the country to make the best bid for hosting the 2013 African Championships. That meant I needed to be on the ground no later than Wednesday, and I needed the visa before I could buy my plane ticket. After some intense haggling, a self-addressed but notarized letter, and a crisp $100 bill I was approved for my flight to Chad. Cash flow into a poor economy typically creates more crime and less stability. Just today the Chadian President Idriss Deby squashed a coup attempt. Petty criminal activity is rampant in countries where there is a significant gap between the wealthy and poor, and under those circumstances, the corruption of officials is an unshakable leach on the system. Despite the country's criminal adolescence I was pleased to be in Chad. I'd paid the fee for my visa, purchased a flight and had even reserved a hotel room. Just beyond customs I knew that there would even be a driver sent to pick me up and deliver me safely to my hotel. At the moment I was happy to be in Central Africa. All guests of Chad are fingerprinted and made to stand for a photo. No problem, I thought, I certainly have nothing to hide (besides being a journalist). As they process my fingerprints I notice another, more informal passport check being held just beyond the immigration stand. Approved, I walk to the luggage area to get my bags. The older man I'd seen checking passports stops me, and I gladly hand him my passport, happy with myself that I'd managed to secure this impossible-to-find document in only 12 hours of hustle. The man's wearing a white, filthy, full-length lab coat. He points to a yellow slip of another passenger, and then points to me. Chad is a former French colony so the man spoke in broken Frenglish, "Immunizations. You. Shot record. Where?" Jiminy Christmas. I had read online that travelers were supposed to have proof of Yellow Fever vaccinations, but the wildness of attaining my visa had seemed like a sufficient to justify admission to Chad. Besides, the consular never asked me about the shots, and the airline certainly didn't request my little yellow book. "Don't have one. It's OK," I said. "No fever. I go now." The man, who I now believe to be a "doctor" takes another glance at my passport, now latched in the grip of his long fingers, and asks me again for the vaccination. I respond once again that I don't have one, and he slips my passport into the pocket of his lab coat and turns his back. "No, no, no, no. Not happening. I'm going. Passport. Now." "You stay." "No. I go. I go now." "Where is shot record?" "American. Don't have Yellow Fever ... Had shot as baby ..." "No. Cannot enter." "You ... I'm ... " Anyone who has seen videos of an airlift from an Embassy can understand that your passport is your get-out-of-danger-this-second card. Lose those precious pages and you'll be the guy outside the gates of the Embassy while the city burns and rebel forces practice their short game with your baby blues. Understanding that, it also bears repeating that President Deby suppressed a coup attempt against his government TODAY. Dr. Evil stands guard over Foley as he scouts the crowd for others who've violated his policy towards Yellow Fever vaccinationsThe doctor makes some mention that I'll need to wait for the line to clear (150-plus people) after which point we'll "go to his office and take care of things." This is more worrisome than armed revolt. Chad is like a central processing plant for deadly, communicable diseases. The chances of me being infected by a needle used by the airport doctor -- a man who looks as competent as the kid who fills my Dairy Queen order in Stafford -- seem way too high for me to oblige his command. I make up my mind that under no circumstance will I be heading into the back room of the airport to have Dr. Evil inject me with some unknown, untested syrup from what could be a previously used needle. I react in the manner fitting of my stress level, "United States Embassy, now. I go there for Doctor." No response. "United States Embassy. I go there for Doctor. I go NOW." Again, silence. The French Embassy runs a well-known, top notch clinic for white people in N'Djamena (Thanks, Wikipedia!) and since Chadians speak French, maybe an appeal to see their embassy will give him the message that I don't intend on letting a needle anywhere close to my arm. Pleas for help don't affect Dr. Evil and the more I chat, the more he flips through the passports and vaccination cards of Chinese workers. As the minutes pass and the number of passengers dwindles, I grow more nervous about Dr. Evil's overwhelming confidence in his plan. If not, this episode ends with me fighting off armed Chadian soldiers. But I'm confused on what to do. What are my rights? What is standard procedure? I assess my choices. My first option is to lift the passport from the doctor and sprint through the doors. The only problem is that I don't know how to get to my hotel and I have no idea what is on the other side of the doors. Chances are I won't make it far, and will likely be shot dead by a narcotics-addled soldier (Google: Khat). Of course, I may only get arrested, in which case I'd be the star character in the 2015 iteration of Locked Up Abroad. "If I knew what would've happened I never would've punched that soldier ..." The second option is to allow the doctor to prick me with an unknown needle in order to give me the vaccination. The only problem with that plan is that I can't afford a lifetime of medication for yellow fever, or worse, HIV. Chad has one of the highest rates of infection in Africa. My final choice, which I know is equally risky, is to make a scene. I know this makes me some type of uncultured jerk, but I feel confident I know when it's appropriate to pull the "I'm an American" stunt. Typically, you won't find me lowering my head and knocking over small Asian men on sidewalks, and I don't (often) yell during dinner conversations. However, when threatened by the comically evil doctor, I do utilize my best and only weapon: The Stars and Stripes. I need to secure my luggage before I can make a scene. I bully past the female security officer and grab my checked luggage from a pile being minded for tips by random Chadians. One of them grabs at in the hopes I'll pay him for his efforts. It takes physicality, but he lets go of my bag. Bag in hand, I walk back into the processing area and throw my stuff on the ground. I walk over to the doctor and place myself in his "personal space," to begin a floppy-armed diatribe about my rights. Stuck on words to say in French that might charm him into handing over my passport, I start repeating the President of Chad's name, along with the word "lutte" which in French means "wrestling." By now the passport line has shrunk significantly, and in ten minutes I'll be taken to the back room, and forced to play Chadian Roulette. Dr. Evil hasn't responded to my rants, so I increase my animation and the LEVEL OF MY VOICE. Still nothing. I block the exit with my body to prevent more passengers from leaving the room and raise my voice again, this time to the octave that says, "I'm prepared to be arrested." I'm swarmed by police. It might read like I was willing to be incarcerated, but I knew that the more self-important officials that became involved in this affair, the more the chance that one of them could be rational. At the very least I hoped that one of them would outrank needle-happy Dr. Death. A chubby cop in civilian clothes pulls me aside and tells me he's sorry, but I'm headed back to Addis Ababa. "You need shot," he points to a sign. "No shot? Back to Ethiopia." "No. I'm staying. Give me back my passport RIGHT NOW." My thought at the time was that if I keep up the theatrics, and continue to be difficult, this bozo would have to quiet me down. He has the upper hand -- you DO need a yellow fever vaccination to enter Chad -- but if he thinks I'm bullheaded then what was about to happen wouldn't be as painful. "OK, OK, let me see your pen." Here it comes. Common roadside scene in N'DjamenaFatty takes a blue pen from my shirt and writes "$100" on the thumb of his left hand. "I talk to doctor. Maybe he says "yes," maybe he does not." I don't budge. I'm not going to collapse in capitulation at the start of a bribe. He'll just come back and ask for more. Fatty doesn't like my tone and with wide-eyes he points to the sign describing the policy. I know he could ask for $300 and I'd pretty much have to pay, so with a win close at hand, I pull out my wallet and show him $80. "No," he tells me. "Oui." We stare at each other. He has got a pudgy little face, cheeks plumped from thousands of bribes just like this. He's the worst type of public official, a man with a modicum of power who extorts cash from tourists while his countrymen, sweet and endearing to a man, are made to suffer. Traditional Senegalese wrestlers battle in out in Dakar. In addition to freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's styles, the African Championships are also hosting a traditional tournament as a way to help draw in more teamsFat boy breaks eye contact, "OK, OK. One minute." Chunk walks over to the doctor, whispers a few words and completes the bribe. "No say anything about this," he whispers to me with my passport floating in mid-air, a half-extended gesture meant to have me exchange obedience for my passport. "No chance, big guy." I walk through customs and find the driver sent by the hotel to pick me up. We wait 30 minutes for another hotel guest to arrive, and in that time I see dozens of customs agents taking money and goods from the Chinese workers pushing their bags through a non-operational X-ray machine. The sweeter the Chinese act, the more the officials extorted. Finally ready to leave, the driver walks me to the front of the airport and opened the door. The 110 degree heat slams against my face. I hobble down the staircase with my bags looped over both arms and swinging wildly. The commotion catches the attention of a soldier at the bottom of the stairs. He's wearing a black beret and blue and white camouflage. Tall and well-built he makes eye contact -- his eyes are bloodshot and glassy, mine are wide open. On his cheeks, a matching set of thin scars running vertical from his eyes. In his left hand he holds a burning cigarette. In his right, a double barrel shotgun. "Welcome to Chad," says my driver. "This is my country!"

LOS ANGELES -- The lineups for the United States and Iran have been announced for the a friendly international dual meet billed as "United 4 Wrestling" on Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m. at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. As part of World Wrestling Month in May, Iran is sending a men's freestyle team to the United States to compete in Los Angeles, as well as at "The Rumble On The Rails" in Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal in New York City, N.Y. on Wednesday, May 15. At the friendly dual meet in Los Angeles, both the USA and Iranian lineups are filled with past Olympic and World Championship medalists, making this truly a match featuring many of the world's best wrestlers. Tickets for "United 4 Wrestling" are available at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, and by charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. The LA Sports Arena box office hours are weekdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The LA Sports Arena box office (3939 South Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90037) is located on the south side of the arena, adjacent to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Three levels of ticket pricing are offered and start as low as $13, to $23 for mid-level seating, to $63 for seats closest to the floor. The United States team in Los Angeles is led by a pair of 2012 Olympic medalists, Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott at 60 kg/132 lbs. Burroughs was a 2011 World champion. He has an undefeated 52-0 record since bursting onto the Senior level after a successful career with two NCAA titles as the University of Nebraska. Scott had an amazing 2012 season, winning the World Cup, winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, then a Special Wrestle-off for the U.S. Olympic Team. Two other 2012 Olympians are on the U.S. roster: Tervel Dlagnev at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. and Sam Hazewinkel at 55 kg/121 lbs. Dlagnev was a 2009 World silver medalist, and placed fifth at both the 2012 Olympics and the 2011 World Championships. He is a past University World champion. Hazewinkel was one of the nation's best Greco-Roman wrestlers before he made the switch to freestyle in 2009. His father and his uncle were two-time Olympians. The other three U.S. athletes were runners-up at the recent U.S. Open: Jordan Oliver at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Clayton Foster at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Chris Pendleton at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. All three were college stars at national power Oklahoma State, with Oliver and Pendleton both winning two NCAA titles and Foster placing second at the NCAAs. Chris Pendleton is a native Californian, having wrestled for Lemoore High School in Lemoore, Calif., where he was a 2000 California high school state champion. Leading Team Iran is two-time World champion Mehdi Taghavi Kermani at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Taghavi is a two-time Junior World champion and two-time Olympian. The Iranian team will feature a pair of 2012 Olympic bronze medalists, Ehsan Lashgari at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Komeil Ghasemi at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Lashgari is a three-time Asian Championships champion, claiming titles in 2009, 2010 and 2012. Ghasemi was also a two-time Junior World bronze medalist (2007 and 2008). 2011 World bronze medalist and 2012 Olympian Hassan Rahimi will be wrestling at 55 kg/121 lbs. Rahimi has won gold and silver medals at the Junior World Championships and captured the title at the World Military Championships. 2007 Junior World champion and 2012 Olympian Masoud Esmailpour Jouybari will compete at 60 kg/132 lbs. Esmailpour also earned a gold medal at the recent 2013 World Cup held in Tehran, Iran. Also on the team is three-time World Cup medalist Hassan Tahmasebi at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Hamed Tatari at 96 kg/211.5 lbs., who took fifth at the 2013 World Cup. Some of these matchups are classic showdowns. The match at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. between Dlagnev and Ghasemi is a rematch of the 2012 Olympic bronze-medal match, won by Ghasemi. Two of the other matches feature battles between 2012 Olympians: Hazewinkel vs. Rahimi at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Scott vs. Esmailpour at 60 kg/132 lbs. Every match features two talented international wrestlers, and each of the competitors is capable of giving the fans a tremendous display of wrestling. The event is sponsored by the Semnani Family Foundation, an international humanitarian organization based in Salt Lake City and founded by Khosrow Semnani, a prominent Iranian-American philanthropist. The match is being staged in cooperation with California USA Wrestling and Beat the Streets -- Los Angeles. Since the 1990s, Iran has competed in wrestling in the United States 10 times. This included the 1995 World Championships in Atlanta, the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the 1998 Junior World Championships in Primm, Nev., the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York City and the 2003 World Championships in New York City. In addition, the Iranian team competed in the World Cup held in the United States five times (1995 in Chattanooga, 1998 in Stillwater, 1999 in Spokane, 2000 in Fairfax, Va. and 2001 in Baltimore). IRAN MEN'S FREESTYLE ROSTER FOR USA TOUR TO LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK 55 kg/121 lbs. -- Hassan Rahimi 60 kg/132 lbs. -- Masoud Esmailpour Jouybari 66 kg/145.5 lbs. -- Mehdi Taghavi Kermani 74 kg/163 lbs. -- Hassan Tahmasebi 84 kg/185 lbs. -- Ehsan Lashgari 96 kg/211.5 lbs. -- Hamed Tatari 120 kg/264.5 lbs. -- Komeil Ghasemi Coaches -- GholamReza Mohammadi, Reza Leyegh, Mohammad Talaie, Ali Reza Rezaei Technical Manager -- Rasoul Khadem Team Leader -- Ali Bayat Officials -- Khatib Hojatollah, Ali Eftekhari, Ahmad Govari Doctor -- Sadegh Mahboubi UNITED STATES FREESTYLE ROSTER FOR LOS ANGELES 55 kg/121 lbs. -- Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) 60 kg/132 lbs. -- Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. -- Jordan Oliver, Easton, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC) 74 kg/163 lbs. -- Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) 84 kg/185 lbs. -- Clayton Foster, Laramie, Wyo. (GRIT Athletics/Cowboy WC) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. -- Chris Pendleton, Laramie, Wyo. (Titan Mercury WC) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. -- Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) Coaches -- National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones, Colorado Springs, Colo., John Smith, Stillwater, Okla. Team Leader -- Andy Barth, San Marino, Calif. MATCHUPS FOR THE USA VS. IRAN DUAL MEET ON MAY 19 55 kg/121 lbs. -- Sam Hazewinkel (USA) vs. Hassan Rahimi (Iran) 60 kg/132 lbs. -- Coleman Scott (USA) vs. Masoud Esmailpour Jouybari (Iran) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. -- Jordan Oliver (USA) vs. Mehdi Taghavi Kermani (Iran) 74 kg/163 lbs. -- Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Hassan Tahmasebi (Iran) 84 kg/185 lbs. -- Clayton Foster (USA) vs. Ehsan Lashgari (Iran) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. -- Chris Pendleton (USA) vs. Hamed Tatari (Iran) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. -- Tervel Dlagnev (USA) vs. Komeil Ghasemi (Iran) "UNITED 4 WRESTLING" USA VS. IRAN DUAL SCHEDULE At Los Angeles, May 19 2 p.m. -- USA vs. Iran, Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena ABOUT USA WRESTLING USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and the International Wrestling Federation FILA. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. Its president is James Ravannack, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender. ABOUT KEEP OLYMPIC WRESTLING In the United States, the official website is http://www.KeepWrestlingInTheOlympics.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/officialkeepwrestlingintheolympics, and on Twitter @wrestlingvision. The international links for FILA are http://www.fila-official.com/, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fila.official and on Twitter @FILA_Official. ABOUT BEAT THE STREETS-LOS ANGELES Beat the Streets-Los Angeles cultivates youth development in underserved communities by encouraging a desire for excellence, respect, teamwork, leadership, integrity and perseverance through the instruction of quality wrestling programs. Together with public support, BTS-LA strives to enhance young men and women's lives in school, sports and community. More information can be found at www.beatthestreets-la.org ABOUT CALIFORNIA USA WRESTLING California USA Wrestling is the national governing body for the sport of wrestling in the state of California and, as such, is its representative to USA Wrestling. Simply, California USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the State of California, and works to create interest and participation in these programs. California USA Wrestling is a non for profit 501(c)3 corporation. California USA Wrestling has more than 19,000 members. These members include athletes of all ages, coaches, officials, parents and fans striving together to strengthen the sport. Each year, California USA Wrestling charters over 400 wrestling clubs and sanctions over 200 local, state, competitions. ABOUT SEMNANI FAMILY FOUNDATION The Semnani Family Foundation focuses on tackling questions of global health, poverty and disaster relief, with particular emphasis on protecting women and children. During the past 20 years, the foundation has collaborated with more than 550 non-profit organizations in projects ranging from famine and earthquake relief to the establishment of vaccination programs and health clinics.

Tolly Thompson and Troy Steiner will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, May 1. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 PM Central on AM 1650, The Fan. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments about the show. A podcast of the show is available on theopenmat.com. Thompson is an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Northern Iowa. He was an NCAA champion for Nebraska in 1995. Thompson was recently inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in Cresco. Steiner is an assistant wrestling coach at Oregon State. He was an NCAA champion for the University of Iowa in 1992. Steiner will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa on Sunday, June 9 in Waterloo.

Despite a number of odd, bad luck stoppages and a seriously mismatched headliner, UFC 159 produced plenty of storylines. Jon Jones nearly broke his big toe off of his foot to prove he's on an entirely different level than Chael Sonnen, as if that was up for debate. But grizzled veteran Pat Healy proved to be a bright spot, earning the biggest win of his career by submitting perennial lightweight contender Jim Miler. What's next for Healy? Is Leonard Garcia about to get cut after being out struck by Cody McKenzie? And is a glove change really necessary to reduce the number of eye poke injuries? Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

The college wrestling community has sold-out arenas, increased profit and worked with ESPN and other distributors to make their product better. However, every year the championship event that defines the season changes, much to the chagrin of fans, and costing the NCAA lost opportunity costs. The NCAA has finally recognized the benefits of a more permanent location for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, and has asked their committee members to allow potential host cities to bid for a four-year commitment, to begin in 2015 and extending through 2018. The option to bid a four-year cycle doesn't guarantee that any city would take that risk, or that the NCAA won't instead select championships on a year-to-year bid, or in a 1-2-1 cycle as they've done in the past. The NCAA does believe there is a substantial economic impact for host cities and wants to be financially incentivized to bring the championships to each city. If four years can be more profitable for the city and the NCAA, then it'll be a match worth pursuing. For their side of the bargaining, the NCAA is asking for a reduction in overhead including the use of green space, facility rental and police presence. The NCAA is running a for-profit championship, and after four years of sellouts, they want more dosh, not less. The goal of the host cities is to in-kind what they can, and present the NCAA with a low-cost, easy-to-access, fun event where student-athletes, coaches and fans have a good experience, and where they can earn media attention. The following cities are analyzed by metrics that are predictable and consistent like airport and hotel options. There is also the subjective analysis of restaurant and nightlife options and in-city transportation. Though it might seem small to fans, creating regularity for the athletes, regardless of location, gives them the comfort of knowing where to find the workout facilities they need, how to navigate the arena, and other trivialities. Finding a city that wrestlers can call home will reduce their stress come match time and improve the overall quality of the NCAA's product. Philadelphia, Pa. First Blush: Fantastic reviews from their 2011 NCAA Championships and ideal East Coast location have boosted Philadelphia from possibility to host again into favorite for a long-term bid. Philly is the largest city to ever host the championships, with a city-proper population of 1.5 million. Previous Host: 2011 Venue: Wells Fargo Center Seating Capacity: 8/10 Total attendance of 104,260 with approximately 17,300 fans attending each session. Airport/Rail/Car: 9/10 Philadelphia International Airport is the 12th busiest in world, and Philadelphia's 30th Street Station is connected to NYC and Washington D.C. by Amtrak. The city is geographically centered enough to draw car traffic from the Mid-Atlantic and from the wrestling hotbeds of Western Pennsylvania and the Cleveland area. Hotels: 9/10 The city has some of the best quality hotel options on the East Coast, especially when balanced against price. In small markets like Des Moines, the price of hotel rooms remain within 20 percent the cost of major cities because those hotels have lock on market and little vacancy. However, they aren't near the quality of what you can find in Philadelphia. In-City Transportation: 7/10 Reliable subway takes fans from NCAA promoted hotels to the event. Cabs are also available at all hours of the night, for regulated and metered fare, though cabs were tricky to find at-command from certain parts of the city. Restaurant + Nightlife: 8/10 Thousands of options which allow for a larger diaspora of the wrestling community after each session, and for dinner each night. There is also the ability to check out some historical sights, including the Liberty Bell and the Rocky Statue. Potential Media: 8/10 Not only can every Midwestern journalist find a direct flight to Philadelphia, but the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post can all send columnists to cover the finals. We need exposure, and that means being on the East Coast and close to where reporters (famously lazy about travel) will have no excuse but to report. There's a reason that none of those papers showed up in Des Moines: Lack of accessibility. Major Obstacle: Will the city pony up and present a bid that includes modest costs? Will there bid be for all four years, given the arenas use for the Flyers and Sixers? Also, the weather there will still be cold and vulnerable to late-season snowstorms. Overall: 8/10 St. Louis, Mo. First Blush: Wrestling fans who have traveled to the NCAAs for several years are familiar with St. Louis. The only city to host the championships more than twice since the NCAA moved them off campus for good in 2001, St. Louis is in the middle of the country and offers several advantages, though is still lacking in several major areas of fan needs. Previous Host: 2000, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012 Venue: Scottrade Center Seating Capacity: 10/10 The only sellout for St. Louis came in 2012, but it was a record-setter for the NCAA for both total attendance 112,393 and single session attendance of 18,919. Airport/Rail/Car: 7/10 You can fly into St. Louis, or drive from several locations in the Midwest. However, there is no real rail transit. The airport is far enough from the city to require a rental car, which tend to have a high enough stock on-hand to accommodate the rush of rentals. Still, the cost to fans is increased significantly when adding a rental car, or taxi to the already high cost of the flights. Hotels: 8/10 Very much a hit-or-miss in St. Louis. While some are nice, others aren't. Prices are reasonable and they are located close to the competition area, though a distance from the string of bars by the water. In-City Transportation: 8/10 The hotels and venue are close enough to be walked, though parking is available at the venue. Cabs are tough to find, though they do come to the downtown strip late at night to help the late night revelers find their hotels. Restaurant + Nightlife: 7/10 Though the strip of bars and restaurants by the water are a decent option for the younger crowds, there are very few consistently good meals to be had on the main drag between the hotels and the venue that are also open during wrestling. If you happen to be staying at a hotel further form the arena, it can be a hassle to walk south from the venue into the collection of Panera Breads and Hooters and still make it home in time to change, or rest up between rounds. Also, the fried ravioli thing isn't as great as it's billed, though the barbeque is better than average. Potential Media: 6/10 Tough to get the East Coast media powers to St. Louis. Major Obstacle: The St. Louis Sports Commission has stated publicly that they are looking for a two-year bid. That length of time might be fitting for the city, but the NCAA and the fans are hoping for something longer term. Should they reconsider the length of their bid the city might be able to become the semi-permanent home to the championships. If not, St. Louis will probably win but in doing so undercut the idea of landing a long-term commitment by the NCAA and the hopes of wrestling fans to find a semi-permanent location. Overall: 7/10 New York, N.Y. (Wild Card) First Blush: Too big and too scary for wrestling fans and too expensive for the NCAA to consider. However, there are rumors that the bid makers are starting to formulate their proposal. Tough to believe that NYC or the NCAA would sign on to something so risky for four years. However, there would be incredible payoffs possible in both financial terms and media exposure. The financial capital is filled with wrestling fans that have the money to purchase expensive luxury boxes, and since 90 percent of media is still housed in NYC, it's a simple story for reporters to write. Previous Host: Never Venue: Madison Square Garden Seating Capacity: 18,200 Airport/Rail/Car: LaGuardia, JFK and Newark are some of the largest airports in the country with thousands of flights that guarantee availability and low rates. Public transportation from these airports is simple and efficient. Penn Station is the rail hub of the East Coast and is located a few blocks from Madison Square Garden. Fans from as far south as Washington D.C. and as far north as Boston can come to the arena on direct or regional trains, and make it without transfers or hassle. For example of ease my parents, who don't fly, could take a commuter train from their home in Stafford, Va., transfer once in Washington D.C. to the Amtrak and be at Madison Square Garden five hours after locking the front door. Hotels: Literally thousands in the city and over the water in New Jersey. Wrestlers could be placed across the street at the Hotel Pennsylvania for a rate of around $170 per night. Fans could find similar rates all around the city, and because of the ease of public transportation not every fan would have to be located in the same three hotels. In-City Transportation: Taxis, subways, trains are all the best in the country expanding the championships from just wrestling into a true fan experience. Restaurant + Nightlife: Arguably the best in the world Potential Media: 11/10 EVERYONE is here and ESPN is only a two-hour drive from the city. Ever heard of the ESPN car wash? That's when a popular athlete goes on to several shows that are filmed in Bristol to promote a tournament or event. Major media exposure, unlike anything wrestling has ever thought possible. Can't you see Kyle Dake making the rounds? Major Obstacle: The stigma of New York and the price points for fans traveling from the Midwest and down south could drive away the NCAA and erode widespread fan support. Also, it's tough to know what considerations the city would have to make on pricing for the event, and if the per-ticket prices would be outrageous. Perceived threat to safety would also be a consideration of fans. The post-tournament actions of wrestlers would also be a concern though MSG and NYC host the Big East basketball tourney's each season without major incident. Overall: 9/10 Others to Consider Des Moines, Iowa: 6/10 Venue isn't large enough, hotels are not up to snuff, and transportation is an absolute disaster. Charlotte, N.C.: 7/10 Love the idea of a warmer NCAA wrestling tournament. Arena has 19k seats, good transportation to city and around town. The city is also low-cost. Might be a winner, but doesn't out-perform regional competitors like Philadelphia in terms of media opportunities. Oklahoma City, Okla.: 6/10 Wrestling is in a growth stage that revolves around media interaction and publicity. Putting the tournament in OKC, as we'll see next year, will limit those options. Also, there isn't much nightlife and there are similar issues with the airport, which simply cannot handle the increase in traffic.

Shane Sparks of BadgerStateWrestling.com catches up with Penn State's David Taylor at the Askren Wrestling Academy. Taylor is coming off a runner-up finish at the U.S. Open at 74 kilos. View the interview on BadgerStateWrestling.com.

What would I do if my son was as good at wrestling as Kyle Snyder? Would I be able to tell him to do the right thing for his dreams as a senior in high school? Would I be able to see him go to live far away at a young age? Kyle Snyder won a FILA Junior Nationals title at 96 kilos (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)What if I were his coach? Would I have the integrity to tell him that there was nothing left for him to accomplish on the high school level, or would I not be able to resist advising him to stay around for another year to beat up opponents while wearing my singlet? I hope I would do what was right for my boy. In Snyder's case, he got the right advice, and he has made the proper choice. After last season where he won all there was to win on the high school level in spectacular fashion, there was no need for him to stick around at Good Council High School in Olney, Md., any longer. A bigger stage was calling. He'll now spend his senior year of high school as a resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. There he'll find opponents who will push him, coaches who can help him advance. (This is not a shot at any of Kyle's current or past coaches. Watching him wrestle it is crystal clear he has received top-flight coaching his entire life.) Snyder, who won FILA Junior Nationals in freestyle a few weeks ago stands a good chance to make history and become the only high school-aged 96-kilo wrestler to represent the USA in the Junior World Championships ever. Granted, this weight is only a little more than a decade old, but a Junior World Team berth would place Snyder in rarefied air in terms of being so good and so big at such a young age. Watching Snyder in high school, what impressed me most was his curve of improvement. This sport is littered with athletes who performed like prodigies at one age and then never progressed. Kyle, in his three-year high school career, has been a model for continued improvement. If his skills continue to progress at their current rate, the sky is the limit. Snyder's potential frightens me, but it should frighten Ohio State head coach Tom Ryan even more. If Snyder continues to excel at the OTC and proves himself to be a legitimate 2016 Olympic hopeful, I would think he might find it wise to extend his stay in Colorado. I'm not saying that will happen, but it would be in the back of my mind if I were Coach Ryan. I remember another kid who spent his senior year of high school at the OTC, and he came back from Beijing with a gold medal. Also, among all this Kyle Snyder hype, which I just took part in and which is justly deserved, we should take time to recognize future Missouri Tiger big man J'den Cox. Cox handed Snyder his only loss in any style (I believe) since middle school, last summer in the Junior National freestyle competition. This was one of those matches which served not to diminish our esteem of Snyder, but to really highlight the abilities of Cox, who is a fantastic pickup for Mizzou. I'm taking care to mention him because I figure if I were he, and I just read what I just wrote then I would say, "Hey, I beat that guy, why isn't he writing about me?" I think such a question is reasonable, so here I am devoting a little space to young Mr. Cox. Tommy Rowlands shows up on a UFC broadcast Ohio State's great heavyweight and former World Team member (where he got fifth) appeared on the prelims of the UFC 159: Sonnen vs. Jones broadcast on Saturday night, representing the Committee to Preserve Olympic Wrestling (CPOW). His appearance helped get word of Olympic wrestling's plight to an audience of millions, and there was a response immediately afterward as CPOW'S website crashed from an influx of traffic. UFC fans, who often deride wrestling for ruining the aesthetic of a sport they would like to closer resemble The Matrix than a real fight, were moved to, at the very least, type something into their web browser. Whether this will do anything to help save Olympic wrestling remains to be seen, but at least UFC president Dana White was nice enough to spare some time from his broadcast for the cause of Olympic wrestling. Tommy Rowlands finished third at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Now, I could spend a great deal of time wondering out loud about how Tommy's televised appeal will have any causal efficacy on the decisions made by the IOC executive board next month as they decide which sports they will forward to the IOC assembly for consideration for inclusion in the Olympic programme. I could, but I won't. At least until the executive board meets I am done complaining about FILA, and I won't complain about the actions taken by CPOW. There will be plenty of time for complaining and pointing fingers I the executive board sees fit to sever ties with the sport in May. Right now, at least for the next few weeks, it is time to get on the bandwagon and try to cheer the team to a big win. So if you are one of those people whose job it is to protect the Olympic status of wrestling, right now I'm wishing you the best of luck and keeping you in my prayers.